Jeopardy- Real or Imagined?

So my latest theory has to do with the game show called Jeopardy! I have seen the show maybe twice in my life. This fact does not really support the theory that I present here, but hey, this is the internet. And I do have a theory about it. Perhaps this can be applied to other game shows as well.

First, are the people who are on the shows for real? I mean, are they real people? Has anyone every done any research into their backgrounds? Does anyone actually know Helen the school teacher from Topeka, or Jim the factory worker from Kalkaska, Michigan? The reason  I bring up this point is that such research would support my theory. Or of course it could destroy it, but I won’t go there.

The people you see on Jeopardy! are all actors. They submit their resumes and head shots at the studio and are picked on their ability to portray a character. Said characters were created long ago by the studio and there has been very little deviation in their descriptions over the years; enjoys history, needle point, volunteering, choir, teaches 3rd grade, lives in a suburb, wears a tie with a sleeveless v-neck sweater, bought her dress on vacation in Florida last year, etc., and so on. Must have been exciting coming up with those contestant profiles.

Next topic on my agenda: Air Guitar- Learned or Innate?

Wake Up and Smell the Bovine Excrement

There has been a lot of talk in the news lately about saving the Earth- about global warming, overpopulation, pollution, disease, war, etc. and so on. I guess it’s been in the news for a while now- 10, 20, 30 years? I have heard something about sustainability,  about being green, about carbon and carbon taxes, global warming, melting ice caps and rising sea levels, conservation of natural resources, or some such topic every single time I have turned on the radio for as long as I can remember. Granted, I listen mostly to NPR, so what else would I expect to hear? But now for the big question: has anything been done about it?  And the even bigger question: does anyone really care?

I see both answers as no- nothing has been done, nobody cares. It’s all just a bunch of b.s. All the recycling, conserving, green building, Prius driving, peace marching, and caring about the poor people of undeveloped countries amounts to nothing more than a balm for the small, meaningless lives we have come to lead in our techno-industrial (or is that post-techno-industrial?) world. All the effort we have put into saving the planet has in fact done very little, if anything, in the way of actually creating any formidable amount of long-lasting change.

It makes us feel good  to heed the call of Sally Struthers and “adopt” the poor Biafran child we see in the ad queuing up for a bowlful of millet. But we quickly lose interest and move on to the next cause once the warm feeling wears off. Sally gets her Twinkies but the kid is still hungry in the end, or worse, gets blown away in a bush war after being drugged and sent on patrol with an AK47 longer than he is tall. And that probably ultimately over oil or gold to feed the West’s need for both.

You feel good after writing the check to Greenpeace or the Sea Shepherds (okay, they may be doing some good- the tack they have taken has put them about a hair’s breadth from inflicting physical violence, which is the only way their “war” is going to be won) or Environment Colorado (I wish they would stop knocking on my door- the sign says “No Soliciting!”), but by the time you close the door you realise you’ve just been coerced into giving money to yet another PAC, and you have no idea what they really do with it.

Should I even mention China? One fact- everyone in the US could stop driving tomorrow, saving oil, pollution, carbon, etc.,  and the Chinese will make up for that in the next ten years. Think about it. Not everyone in the world understands the level of destruction we have reached. And most of the world will never care, or will never have the means to do anything to stop the destruction.

An article (editorial) in the Wall Street Journal this weekend addresses this dichotomy well, it discusses what we think we are doing, and what we are actually accomplishing. The conclusion, as I read it, is that we are probably doing more bad than good. The money we give, the money that non-profits spend, that governments donate, the countless people who have devoted their lives to the cause, seems to be all for naught. People continue to suffer and die, forests continue to be burned down, open-pit mines continue to go deeper, pollution continues to get worse, and wars continue to be fought.

And the Earth will  be destroyed in the end.

The Earth will be destroyed? Wait a minute. How will the Earth be destroyed? I think we miss-read the facts. Who gave us those facts?!

The Earth will not be destroyed! We are not destroying the Earth! Get it straight!  We are destroying the Earth’s ability to sustain us. That is what we are doing. The Earth will not “die”. Its ability to sustain us at our present and growing levels of population/consumption will undoubtedly decline, and possibly reach a level where our species will die out sooner than our expected one million year life span. That is all that will happen. We will die; the Earth will live on. In the blink of an eye in geologic time the Earth will shake us off- a couple of glaciations, some volcanism, subduction, an orogeny or two, and viola! Nice clean Earth. No more humans. Maybe next time the prairie dogs will be at the top of the phylogenetic tree. They’ll probably do a better job with it than we have done; they are smart little guys building up their vocabulary as ours weakens. (If the part about the planet surviving is not perfectly clear, see George Carlin’s thoughts on the subject- “The planet is fine”- thanks R-.)

There may be a way out of this mess though, maybe a couple of ways, depending on your perspective. I personally have begun designing my underground, graboid-proof compound I will build in the Utah desert, looking for that pair of leather pants that will last a lifetime, and searching for that perfect, shotgun wielding blue healer. That is my way out- fighting, and having fun with it. For the rest of you, I suggest a hearty drought of  specially blended purple Koolaid from your Big Gulp as you sit in front of your t.v. watching the big game. Think about it; if you choose the latter, you might actually help sustain lives, such as my own and those of my gathering tribe, a little longer. For that we’d be grateful, and I am sure the Earth would thank you as well.

It’s Not Exactly 5 AM, But…

Oh well. Viewed another eviction in our neighborhood today.  As I walked down their alley with my son Nicolai, as we looked at all the kids toys, furniture, clothes, and art projects discarded and waiting for trash day, I couldn’t help but wonder how their children were affected. Not that I ever met them or their children.

Next we walked down the sidewalk in front of their house, what was their house.  There were piles of stuff, three big POD storage containers on the street, filled I assume, and enough stuff to fill 6 more? 8 more? Stuff.  Kids stuff, family stuff, stuff.  I wondered about the kids again.  How did this affect them?  I began to feel sorry for them, for the family and the kids.  Then I realised that this kind of thing can be avoided, that people are usually given chance after chance to get themselves out of messes like this before they actually get this far.  I realised that I have attempted to help people out of these situations on numerous occasions, tried to help them from running their lives further into the gutter.  And each time it came back to me in a bad way.

As a landlord I am responsible for my properties, but I also try to be socially responsible.  I haven’t thrown anyone out, yet.  I have always tried to help my tenants out, and every single time I have found myself on the bad end of the deal. That is EVERY time.

I looked at the piles of stuff again- there was a lot of it.  More stuff than I have, more stuff than anyone needs.  (Yes, that IS my opinion. Someone needs to have one.) These people spent money.  I noticed the satellite dish on the roof of the house that had just be secured by the Boulder County Sheriff. Why is it that the internet and cable are the last things to go when people are strapped for cash? The cable bill is paid, but the rent is not. The cell phone is kept on, but the power bill is late. The internet is functioning, but the water gets turned off.

I am at my end; I cannot offer my help to tenants again.  My sympathy has been used up, there is no more.

I have only this to say: molesta veritas.  The truth can be burdensome.  Face the truth, and deal with it.

Colorado Government and Online Sales Tax

I received an email from Amazon.com this morning informing me that my account had been terminated due to the greed, lack of foresight, and, well, stupidity of the legislature of Colorado. No other state has such legislation. Its seems that the state wants to tax online sales, and Amazon will have no part of it. So they just shut off all accounts in the entire state! I guess they can do that, they are Amazon after all. (If in the future all restaurants will be Taco Bell, then all retail stores will be Amazon. This is a movie reference, citizen.)

So, I just wrote to my state representatives, and the governor, expressing my discontent with this legislation. (I did not use the word “discontent” as I am not sure if that is legal any longer. See text of Patriot Act.)

The process was not without glitches. The online form to “communicate” with the governor did not have a box for text. You could communicate, but only your contact information. Comments were not allowed.

After sending my first request with nothing more than that, I returned to find a box labeled “explanation” which I concluded must be the “comment” box.

In my comments (“explanation”), I outlined the illogical nature of the title of the box and suggested that a box for comments be labeled “comments” in my next email to the governor.

Now that I think about it, I may have forgotten to include my original comments, being so focused on the “comment” issue.

How does that text messaging abbreviation go? Oh yeah, WTF?

It’s not a conspiracy theory, it’s a conspiracy fact. Either that or we are truly surrounded, and governed, by idiots.

Babylon must fall.

5:02 AM, Friday

Early morning, with Leos Janacek and Typhoo- fine English tea.  About time for a second cup soon. And perhaps some letter writing. On paper. With a pen.  More here. Working on spending less time in the digital world, while I write another post at 5 AM.

And then there is Anne’s shed:

built many years past
weather and time reclaiming
old falling down shed

Economical, 275 tea bag package of Typhoo. Really the way to go.

Happy Birthday Mozart

Today is the 254th anniversary of the birth of Mozart, born on 27 January, 1756. It is a good thing to celebrate.

4:02 AM- Water Dripping, Snow Falling

The sound of water dripping from a kitchen faucet onto a stainless steel sink can be deafening.  It can sound like a booted invader stomping through your house at 3 in the morning. This while snow falls noiselessly outside.

Did I notice that yesterday was longer than the day before? No. Perhaps I will notice today being longer than yesterday.

Czech composer Antonin Dvorak was born in Nelahozeves, Bohemia in 1841. It is near Prague.

The sun will rise at 7:18 this morning.

Happy Birthday Ludwig Von

The 16th of  December, 1770 saw the birth of Ludwig Von Beethoven in Bonn, Germany. At least he was probably born that day, as he was baptised the following day. You can visit his grave in Vienna. He is buried there along with Mozart, but the location of Mozart’s grave is apparently unknown- he was buried as a pauper.

Read more about Beethoven here.

Happy birthday Ludwig Von.

Hare Krishna

The Los Angeles temple has a live web cam. You can watch and listen to aratis, pujas, lectures and classes at the LA Live website. Hare Krishna!

Snow…Covered Squirrel

It snowed last night. Our squirrel is barely visible underneath the light, white covering. But it is still there, high up on the power pole, and apparently fully intact. Nicolai and Mia seem to think that something has eaten part of it.  But to me it appears untouched.